Save the Mantas

Happy World Manta Day 2022! — Marine Megafauna Foundation MMF first began as the ‘Manta & Whale Shark Research Centre’ in Tofo, Mozambique, where Andrea Marshall completed the world’s first PhD on the biology and ecology of manta rays. Years later, she and the MMF team continue as world leaders in manta ray research and conservation. To help cele...

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The oceans are full of many new surprises!

BREAKING: MMF researchers document the rare ornate eagle ray *twice*—One of the world’s most elusive ray species

Although the largest of all eagle ray species, ornate eagle rays are extremely rare, with few records from fisheries and a limited number of sightings in the wild. The majority of encounters are recorded from Australia and the Indo-West Pacific region (only one confirmed report exists from southern Africa, prior to this).

“The moment I saw it, I knew it was something special and unusual,” says Janneman Conradie, MMF field researcher and logistics coordinator. “I had to double-check my footage because I couldn’t believe what I had seen. Then to see another within a few days was beyond belief. The Bazaruto Seascape is always full of surprises.”

Check out the full story:
https://marinemegafauna.org/news-and-media/researchers-document-the-rare-ornate-eagle-ray

Photo ©Manfred Vijars

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Marine Megafauna
The Marine Megafauna Foundation would like to introduce you to Ocean Giants, a brand-new FREE quarterly magazine. In this first issue, they are highlighting a major marine protection win in Mozambique, along with the results from some of our recent research and conservation initiatives. From the urban mantas of Florida to the introverted whale sharks of Tanzania, MMF scientists and their wonderful collaborators have been making new discoveries across the world.
http://www.marinemegafauna.org/magazine

⚠️DEVASTATING MANTA NEWS⚠️ Today, the conservation status of the giant manta has been uplisted to Endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This announcement serves to confirm what we have long suspected – this gentle marine giant is finding it hard to cope with intensifying anthropogenic pressures around the globe. The giant manta ray now joins over 16,000 endangered species to be assessed with this serious threat level. At this stage, 30% of sharks and rays are now threatened with extinction.

After first describing this species, "the realization that the giant manta ray is now in danger of extinction is a hard pill to swallow”, MMF co-founder Dr. Andrea Marshall admits. “We are still busy learning about this extraordinary creature and we have only scratched the surface. There is so much more we need to understand, but at this stage, we have put that all aside in favor of protecting the last remaining populations of giant mantas across the globe.”

Please consider giving to our end-of-year fundraiser to build three new ocean giant research centers that will directly impact the future of this now endangered species: https://marinemegafaunafoundation.org/giving-tuesday/

Link to our full press release: https://marinemegafaunafoundation.org/blog/giant-manta-becomes-the-first-manta-ray-to-be-listed-as-an-endangered-species/

https://www.masterliveaboards.com/5-things-you-didnt-know-about-manta-rays/?dm_i=1SIR,56T77,NZKGKJ,JYAYM,1

5 Things you didn't know about manta rays | Master Liveaboards

https://youtu.be/LaO1wLMRaFU

MMF Mantas in Raja Ampat Drone footage of manta rays in Raja Ampat, Indonesia

Philippines Manta Update - Ticao Manta Conservation
Ticao Island conservation work with manta rays dates back to the early 2000's when a local group called the Blue Zoo worked with Save-the-Mantas.org to develop posters that were displayed in the ports and fish markets to persuade fisherman to not kill the rays. The poster were very effective and led directly to today’s protection of manta rays and whale sharks in many of the areas of the Philippines.

In 2002, Rico Calleja, a local dive instructor, heard stories from local fishermen about a large number of mantas in an area off Ticao island. This information helped him pinpoint the location of a manta cleaning station. After operating a dive shop in Donsol he later established a conservation station that would become Ticao Island Resort.

Marvin Mondrano, Abel Bahillo and others recorded frequent manta sightings at the cleaning station which was named the Manta Bowl. This area has become a very popular dive destination.

The resident manta population has been studied with 30-40 individuals identified. The Manta Bowl cleaning station is an ideal location to record sightings over a long period of time and is useful in distinguishing the resident population from the pelagic (migratory) animals.

More recent research by Yotam Barr, a marine biologist from the University of Tel Aviv and ongoing work by LAMAVE (Large Marine Vertebrates NGO) suggests that mantas frequent the area all year for the purpose of getting cleaned by small fish.

Even though the area is protected, manta rays still get caught up in fishing nets. Through the assistance of Mondrano and other local divers, as many as five manta rays are cut free of monofilament fishing lines each year.

Support Misool Baseftin's Manta Conservation Project in Lamakera, Central Indonesia

Misool Baseftin's Manta Conservation Project in Lamakera, Central Indonesia warning: disturbing images!! Manta rays are safe inside Misool Eco Resort's No-Take Zone, but oceanic mantas roam far. That's why Misool Eco Resort's charita...